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Shandi is 8 years old, ADD/ADHD/ODD. For 3 years, her mom and I have been trying to get her the help she needs to succeed in school. We may be getting somewhere now.

Wednesday

I had a meeting with the school, the TSP and Shandi’s teachers, both 1st grade and 2nd grade. *she’s in 2nd grade this year, having passed by an administrative decision.* Seems the 18 week evaluation done toward the end of the 1st grade, and turned in by her teacher has been lost. Without that evaluation, we must go through the process again, so they say. However, I did get it down to by the end of the 1st 9 weeks, rather than 18 weeks. The interventionist who attended the meeting also said that there was a possibility that if I brought a recommendation from the psychologist, which we see the 3rd, we might could bypass that and go on to the next level of their process.

I looked the TSP, who is the one who lost the evaluation and said-It is not fair that the child suffers because an adult couldn’t be responsible for the paperwork.

Both teachers spoke on Shandi’s behalf, stating that without one on one help, she could not do the reading work. Whether it does any good or not, I came home and emailed the MS. Dept. of Education, specifically the policy and procedure department, because it is their P&P’s that is keeping the school from putting Shandi in the tutoring class.

Last night at church, I had put Shandi and her school situation on the prayer list. I told them in brief what was happening and that I knew God could move mountains and he could find lost paperwork.

Frustration is a mild word for what I’m feeling at the moment. I’m also determined. I made a copy of the letter written to the Dept of Ed and plan to deposit a copy of it on the desk of the Superintendent of Ed and one on the desk of the lady over the Special Education department for our local school system. My motive for doing that is simply to leave a paper trail of what I’m doing to get Shandi the help she deserves.

Thursday:
I received a phone call from the Special Ed Dept of Ms. Dept of Ed. The lady was very nice and wanted permission to contact the school board. We talked a bit about Shandi and her situation, and she promised to call me back when she got answers to the questions she needed answered.

While I was in town this evening, the TSP from school, *Terry thinks that is who it was, either her or the Interventionist* called to say that Shandi has been moved into the 2nd tier of testing/evaluation. The local Superintendent of Education made a phone call or two and the papers were located.

In the meantime I had gone by his office and left a copy of my letter to the MDOE. I didn’t get to meet with him as he was busy, so I left it with the secretary.

I also got another surprise. When I opened the weekly local paper this morning there was a write up which included a letter to the Supt. Of Ed., informing him of the areas our Walthall School district fell short in their review made last school term. Seems every deficiency was in Special Education, and especially in providing Supplemental aids and services. I still don’t know what those are-I haven’t found it defined and I’ve searched the website over. I will be asking though for I feel it includes inclusion teachers to help children like Shandi, who don’t qualify for the special ed class where they are separated from the main class, yet need some extra help to keep up.

I was told at the meeting last week that Salem does not have inclusion teachers. I also want to find out why they don’t and what is needed to get ever how many they need.